Alumni Computer Group, Inc. has just released a new Windows version of its billing program, PCLAWjr. The beta version (2.0) I tested proved to be a well constructed combination of both timekeeping and basic accounting.

PCLAWjr is a lesser version of the more powerful PCLAW, which is designed for firms of up to 99 attorneys with up to 9999 clients. The base version of PCLAWjr supports up to five attorneys and 3500 clients, and will do time and billing, check writing, trust accounting, general ledger accounting and management reporting. Additional modules must be purchased for accounts payable, bank reconciliation, cost recovery, past due notices, payroll and deposit slips. The publisher, Alumni Computer Group, Inc., also offers a module called Amicus Attorney that adds case management, calendaring, and contact management.

One minor difficulty occurred while installing PCLAWjr. Midway through the installation, the program forgot where the files were coming from. I reminded it that the installation disk was in drive A, and the installation continued without further problems. To complete the installation, you must call the publisher for a registration number, but you can do this at any time during the first 30 days of use.

During the installation, you are asked to enter the names of the attorneys, and up to five billing rates for each. While PCLAWjr claims that it will handle up to five attorneys, this is a little misleading. In fact, it will only permit five timekeepers. This means that if you want to bill for secretarial, paralegal, or any other time, these people must be entered as timekeepers. Realistically, therefore, PCLAWjr is only suited for a one or two attorney office.

PCLAWjr is nicely laid out and intuitive to use. Each function is accompanied by a flow chart which illustrates how that functions fits into the scheme of things. To jump to a step, you just click on that part of the flowchart. The program also comes with a "Quick Timer" that works like a stopwatch, allowing a matter to be timed in real time.

As with most timekeeping programs I have tested, PCLAWjr was a little too number oriented for my taste. For example, all time and billing information starts with a matter number, not the client's name. Getting a list of the matter numbers is just two key stokes away, but I would much prefer to get to that number by typing the first few letters of the client's name. When you review your time sheet, you see matter numbers with no names, lawyer numbers with no names, and "explanation codes" with no text. Of course, as you use the program, these numbers will become second nature, but I would prefer not to be forced to use matter numbers.

The billing function was as easy as any program I have seen. You first print out pre-bills, make any corrections, and then print the final bills. A spell-checker is included. Bills can be printed to the screen for review before printing. PCLAWjr allows you to customize the bills, even to the point of importing graphics if you so desire. If you do not so desire, the program comes with numerous predefined billing formats.

What sets PCLAWjr apart from other timekeeping programs is its accounting features, including the ability to generate checks. This feature integrates nicely with the timekeeping functions. When you select the check function, you are presented with the graphic of a check. You type in the information just as you would with any check, except the memo section of the check permits entry (if necessary) of a narrative, explaining why the check was written. PCLAWjr will even spell check the text. This narrative, along with the matter number, is transferred to the billing portion of the program. Thus, when you pay a bill the expense automatically gets billed to the client. If you are currently using separate programs for billing and check writing, this should greatly improve your cost recovery. You can also enter a general ledger category in order to track your expenses.

PCLAWjr does not include the past due notices module that comes standard with PCLAW. This was an unfortunate omission. Without it, you are left to your own devices to send past due notices to clients. Additionally, this module controls how past due balances will be handled. In its standard configuration, PCLAWjr will only allow you to set a simple interest rate on unpaid bills and define whether there will be a 30-day grace period.

Even though this was a beta version, the documentation was excellent. Strangely, though, the search function was disabled within the on-line help file. Determining if the program contained an abbreviation translation function (it doesn't) was a task since I could not search the help file. Hopefully this will be enabled in the final version.

PCLAWjr is available in both DOS and Windows versions for $295 from Alumni Computer, (800) 387-9785. Technical support is free for 90 days, and is $130 per year thereafter.